Black as Night
by dawnmescher
Summary: Sirius realizes that Peter gives away the Potters secrets. Sirius wants revenge. His last moments before Azkaban.


**Black as Night**

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**_I do not own any of the following characters. JK Rowling does. She owns everything in the Potter universe and is richer than the Malfoys. But not as mean. Obviously. Hope you enjoy the story._**

*** * * ***

The first stop was Peter's place. Rumors were all over the place. He had to make sure James was safe. He'd never be able to forgive himself, otherwise. He rapped so hard on Peter's door, his knuckles were worn raw. Every sixty seconds, he began a new tune on the door.  
  
There was no answer. With his mind racing, Sirius turned away from the door.  
  
_What do I do? I have to warn them of these rumors. Even if they are just rumors._  
  
Deciding to break in, he checked the block. He didn't want to alert any muggles. How would he explain breaking in to the muggle police? A mass murdering wizard was after his best friend, wife, and child? That he planned to say two magical words and cast them from this life? _That'd go over really well_, he smirked. Shaking his head, he pulled out his wand.  
  
"_Alohomora_," he said, flicking his wand at the door.  
  
No movement. Something stronger then a lock. Some charm, some ward. _Peter?_  
  
Something was not clicking. Peter had been given the Secret-Keeper role because they thought that he was the least talented. No-Talent-Peter, he'd always called him. Sure it was callous and uncalled for, but he followed James around like a puppy dog. Everything he did was solely for James' approval. He had no goals of his own.  
  
Slowly, color drained from Sirius' face.  
  
_Or did he?_  
  
He could feel his hands shaking, his mind flying past thought after thought. He ran around the back of the house. If - _just if_ - he was lucky, Peter would not have thought about the back door. Time after time, he'd had to remind Peter that he was missing objects or steps. Maybe this time, he would have forgotten. Sure enough, it opened.  
  
The entire house was dark. Not a sound could be heard. Walking from the back hallway to the kitchen, he saw it. Sirius picked up the torn piece of parchment giving away the location of James and Lily Potter. Below it, the word _tonight_ had been underlined.  
  
"FUCK!" Sirius began throwing items off the counter. They boomeranged back at him, a pot hitting in just above the eye. The hot sting of a fresh cut pierced his brain.  
  
_You're not going to do them any good if you can't even walk._  
  
The next thing he knew, he was on his motorcycle, heading for Godric's Hollow, heading towards his best friend in the world. Nothing would stop him. Not muggles. Not Dumbledore. Not even the Dark Lord himself. He would get there, and he would stop whatever nonsense was about to take place.

* * * *

  
The whole house seemed to be on fire, but not ordinary fire. His heart sank. No one was outside of the house. There were no dancing lawn ornaments, no laughter from inside the house.  
  
_If they are dead, I will not stop until Voldemort and Wormtail are dead. Or I'm dead. I swear to the heavens._  
  
He knew they were dead. All the wards to keep unknown visitors from entering were gone. There was only one way those would disappear.  
  
Only if those who placed them were dead.  
  
In the sweltering fire, he saw one thing. Hagrid. Maybe they had been saved after all? Maybe there had been an attack, and that's how the warding disappeared? Maybe Hagrid set the place on fire to divert Voldemort? Maybe Hagrid was the spy?  
  
Hagrid caught sight of him standing in the doorway. "What're you doin' here, Sirius?" His voice was thick with emotion.  
  
"It's not.. They're not.."  
  
Hagrid did not say anything in return. His silence was all the answer he needed. For what seemed like ages, Hagrid leaned over and pulled something out of the crib. A blanket to remember Harry by, no doubt. Hagrid always was a sucker for children.   
Sirius could feel his face well up with tears. He gritted his teeth against them.  
  
A small familiar noise came from the blanket. He blinked. Once. Twice.  
  
"Harry," his voice came out thicker than he expected. He took a few steps forward, but stopped in his tracks.  
  
Lily Potter lay on the other side of the crib, her body draped on the floor as if she were asleep. Sirius knew that Hagrid had closed her eyes out of respect. He didn't want to see James. He didn't want to know what had happened. Suddenly, he wished he had never known the secret. He wished he had never befriended Peter in the second year. He wished he could take back every fight he and James ever had. He wished he could do something anything.  
  
And he knew there was something. He could take care of Harry. He was the godfather, after all.  
  
"Hagrid, I'm Harry's godfather. I think I should take him somewhere safe for now." He looked up into the big man's tear stained face.  
  
Hagrid only shook his head. He opened his mouth, and then shut it. "Dumbledore be wantin' this here. Made me promise ter bring 'im."  
  
Sirius knew he was right. "Then take my motorcycle. I won't need it where I'm going."  
  
Ignoring the quizzical look on Hagrid's face, Sirius ran out of the house. It took his nearly ten minutes to realize that Peter would probably be running right about now. Or he would feign ignorance. What would he do if it came down to Wormtail's word against his? Would he be believed? Surely Dumbledore would be able to see through it. He seemed to have a knack for it.  
  
He had never been the smartest or the bravest, but he didn't lack for guts. He didn't care at that moment what happened to him or the world, just that Peter and Voldemort would pay. They would pay over and over for the rest of their lives, and he would see to it that they lived long and painful lives.  
  
It was almost as though he could feel the hatred filling him. He was drowning in vengeance. Nothing else would satisfy him, except maybe death. He didn't want to be in a world full of liars and backstabbers. He closed his eyes and let the darkness consume him.

* * * *

  
When he opened them, he was standing in the middle of the street. He could see Peter Pettigrew's house. All around, muggles stood and stared. Where did this man come from, he knew they were thinking. He did not care. He was not afraid of the Ministry and its minions. He didn't care about anything, except getting revenge on Peter. Exacting the same kind of treatment on him that he bestowed upon James.  
  
He was supposed to be one of James' best friends. He was supposed to keep their Secret from Voldemort, not tell it to him. Not lead him to their home. Not destroy them.  
  
He saw Peter running through the corner of his eye. Sirius knew he would not outrun him. There was no way he would outrun him. When he finally caught him on the street, Sirius grabbed Peter's robes.   
  
Towering over him, Sirius felt his façade begin to break. He knew without a doubt that Peter had betrayed them. He gritted teeth against the sorrow he felt. Looking at his former friend brought it all flooding to him. He had to be strong and take the high road.  
  
He'd never been good at the high road. That was Moony's job. He'd always been the one to get into fights or plan the most hijinks. He wasn't the one who would listen to his head; it was always his gut.  
  
And his gut was telling him to kill Peter Pettigrew. Now.  
  
"Why'd you do it, Peter? Why'd you do it?" His voice grew more and more harsh in his anger.  
  
Desperately, Peter looked at him. "The Dark Lord.. he's tricky. He just keeps coming and there's nothing anyone can do about it. I was a coward. I didn't want to die. But it was them or me."  
  
"So you really are a rat, are ya? Always knew there was something to that, Pete. I always knew you were nothing but a lowly coward." Sirius's face distorted into an anger so twisted, even he was afraid of it.  
  
More and more people were coming out of shops to see what the commotion was. The streets were lined with honking cars. People shouting at them. To Sirius, it seemed that time had stood still.  
  
_Just this one last thing, then I'll take whatever comes to me_, he thought to himself. He screwed up his courage and reached for his wand.  
  
Peter started to scream, "Why did you do it, Sirius? You were his best man! You were his best friend. Why did you kill James and Lily Potter?"  
  
Confused, Sirius stumbled backwards, onto the concrete. He held his wand tightly in his hand.   
  
"Hold it right there, Black." He knew that voice.   
  
"Stun him, you idiots. Get him!" Sirius shouted to them. He pointed at Peter with his wand. "He's the one who-"  
  
"Why did you kill James and Lily Potter?"  
  
There was a flash of light, followed by intense heat. Sirius fell forward onto the ground. Underneath the clouds of smoke, he could see two things. A severed finger and a rat.   
  
_I'll be damned_, Sirius thought. _He's a lot cleverer than I gave him credit for. Sneaky little bastard._ He started to chuckle. His mind was a complex weave of emotions. Nothing seemed too stable for him. He wasn't sure how things ended up the way they did, but in a shock of brilliant red light, he was powerless and immobile.   
  
He had been framed.


End file.
